"Light sticks" are well known in the art and readily available "off-the-shelf." A "light stick" typically comprises a transparent, elongated, cylindrical structure which contains within it two different, separated chemicals, one of which is separately contained in an internal capsule made of glass or other fracturable material. When it is desired to illuminate a "light stick", the cylindrical structure is flexed against its longitudinally center line a significant amount, causing the internal glass capsule to break, allowing the two chemicals to mix. The resulting chemical mixture produces an chemi-luminescent reaction which gives off light for an extended period of time [e.g. eight (8) hours].
One prior manufacture of the "light sticks" is American Cyanamid which has sold the product under the trademark "CYALUME"; and their packaging cites U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,539,794 & 3,597,362.
The American Cyanamid commercial materials show a number of uses of these types of products including a circular type badge containing within it the illuminating chemicals, on the exterior of which badge is imprinted a message, but the lettering itself is not made of the "light stick" type structures. Other uses include providing the "stick" in oval or circular or other configured forms rather than just a cylindrical stick.
The below listed prior patents found as a result of a search were considered at least generally pertinent to the invention:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,061,910 Rosenfeld 4,405,973 Moscarillo 4,677,008 Webb 4,751,616 Smithey 06/14/88 4,814,949 Elliott ______________________________________
The '616 and '949 patents indicate that they also are or were assigned to American Cyanamid.
The '910 patent to Rosenfeld is directed to articles of jewelry (e.g. a closed loop or triangular shaped items, ring, etc.) made of chemi-luminescent material.
The '973 patent to Moscarillo is directed to "emergency light sources" using chemi-luminescent to for, for example, illuminate a compass.
The '616 patent to Smithey (American Cyanamid) provides further information on the chemicals used and the chemical action which takes place in chemi-luminescent devices.
The '949 patent to Elliott (American Cyanamid) suggests the use of chemi-luminescent designs that "can be in any desired shape such as a geometric shape, i.e., square, rectangle, circle, cross, etc., or an arrow, letter, heart, number, etc. Indicia may be printed or otherwise imparted to either surface of the first polymeric sheet." (Col. 3, lines 34-38.) The drawings illustrate a heart shape (FIGS. 1-6) and an arrow shape (FIG. 7). Since the specification indicates that the indicia may be printed, although the specification is somewhat vague and unclear, this patent apparently teaches that indica such as "letters" or "numbers" are imprinted on the outer surface of the sheet 1.
Thus, in most, if not all, of the prior art designs, the container for one chemical encloses and encases the container for the other, typically with the flexing or bending of one rupturing or fracturing the other inside of the first. Additionally, it is believed that none teach or suggest the use of separate indicia container for one of the chemicals, with the other chemical being contained in a separate reservoir completely outside of and laterally spaced from the indicia containers, with the reservoir supplying a multitude of separate indicia containers; nor is there a suggestion of both chemicals being isolatingly contained in a separate reservoir that can be snapped on and off for replacement.
The other reference ('008 to Webb), not specifically discussed above, is cited only for general, background information.
Of course, it is also old, generally speaking, to have emergency signs asking for help on the road, including such signs in which the shape is that of an octagon or "stop" sign shape. However, none have the ease and high visibility of the present invention, and any illuminated ones usually require access to AC power or the use of a battery pack or solar energy panel.